Shown in the form of color-coding at the chest, back and sleeves, as well as in piping along the shoulders, collar and pant cuffs; Starfleet divisions were displayed by color, with red for command, gold for operations, and blue for sciences.

Closing at the front, the Starfleet uniform was adaptable for away team missions, including areas to attach phasers, tricorders or other equipment. While most officers wore the single-piece duty uniform, variants were available, such as the "skant" and medical skant versions.

Chronologically within the Star Trek universe, these uniforms appeared as early as 2353, in a photograph of Connor Rossa, holding baby Jeremiah Rossa, in "Suddenly Human". It was also worn by the crew of the USS Stargazer as early as 2355, as seen in "The Battle". A vision of Picard after Jack Crusher's death on the Stargazer was also wearing this type of uniform in "Violations". The uniform last appeared in the TNG finale, "All Good Things...", but made a minor appearance in the Star Trek: Enterprise finale, "These Are the Voyages...", in archival footage intended to represent 2370. While this presents something of an anachronism, it is most likely a production error (the real-world explanation is that the footage is taken from "Ménage à Troi", set in 2366, when its use among lower ranks was still fairly common) and not an indication that these uniforms remained in service that long.

Skant

Introduced alongside the standard duty uniform jumpsuit, a skirt or "skant"-style uniform was also available to Starfleet officers as early as 2364. Similar to its jumpsuit counterpart, the skant uniform was a short-sleeved one piece skirt, that could be worn with or without trousers, and included thigh high, or shorter, black boots.

According to the book The Art of Star Trek, "the skirt design for men 'skant' was a logical development, given the total equality of the sexes presumed to exist in the 24th century."

The uniform was used primarily by background actors, though "Encounter at Farpoint" featured both Deanna Troi and Natasha Yar in skant-type uniforms, the latter only briefly. While Troi got a new look entirely for subsequent episodes (according to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion the uniform was referred to as the "Space Cheerleader" look), Yar remained in her jumpsuit uniform for the rest of her stay aboard the Enterprise, never donning the skant after the pilot episode. Male crewmembers wearing the skant were only seen in few episodes, "Encounter at Farpoint", "Haven", "Conspiracy", "Where No One Has Gone Before" and "11001001", though the footage seen in the last episode was re-used from "Where No One Has Gone Before".

Beginning in the year 2366, a new uniform variation was introduced to officers serving in Starfleet.

Retaining the same, distinct two-tone style as before, the newer version featured a higher, more formal collar. Division color piping was relocated from the yoke to the top of the collar, leaving a flat black look. The combadge remained on the left breast. The earliest versions of the new uniform were designed with two vertical seams down the front of the jacket, (TNG: "The Survivors"), but within a few months, these seams were eliminated from the jacket design. (TNG: "The Price")

Division colors were retained, with wine-red for command, mustard-yellow for operations/security, and teal-blue for science/medical. Uniforms also came with a division color undershirt, beneath the uniform jacket, that was tucked into the pants just below the breast. (TNG: "Ensign Ro")

This alteration to the standard duty uniform was introduced to senior officers only at first, but was ultimately trickled down to lower-ranking crewmembers by 2368. Still, while all officers aboard starships wore the same basic uniform, senior officers and department heads generally wore the belted version while other crew members wore the tighter non-belted versions.

William Ware Theiss's original first and second season uniforms reportedly caused the cast discomfort as the tight-fitting (and revealing) spandex pulled down on the actors' backs. With his arrival at TNG during season three, costume designer Robert Blackman's first charge was the modification of the existing design to make Starfleet-wear more bearable. Experimenting with different materials, Blackman utilized a jumpsuit-style form-fitting wool gabardine material in the early days of season three, before ultimately settling on looser-fitting versions consisting of a jacket and trousers.The Theiss-designed costume remained unmodified for use by background actors until season four, when they were altered to reflect the new look. They are easily spotted next to the two-piece uniforms, distinguished by their prominent front zipper.

In keeping with Gene Roddenberry's idea that there are no zippers or other contemporary closures by the time of Picard and company, the TNG-style uniform demonstrated the miraculous ability to open from the front like a jacket in the episode "Ensign Ro". To achieve this illusion, producers used both a jumpsuit-style uniform and a two-piece jacket and trouser combination, indicating amazingly undetectable closure technology.The TNG-era uniforms would continue their service into DS9, appearing alongside the DS9/Voyager-style uniforms, and the later Star Trek: First Contact-style uniforms. The in-universe use of the uniform is unclear, but appeared to used by members of a Federation/Starfleet delegation well into DS9's sixth season. Alterations seen in the alternate timeline in "Yesterday's Enterprise" were based on this style.Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation referred to their uniforms as "spacesuits".

Captain's variant

The captain's variant

In the year 2368, Starfleet had a uniform variant available to commanding officers in service aboard starships. This "captain's jacket" consisted of a two-tone, gray and black duty uniform, worn beneath a command-style jacket, with quilted shoulders. Less formal than the standard duty uniform, the captain's variant uniform was a more casual dress option, with trousers reminiscent of the previous Starfleet uniform. (TNG: "Darmok", "Unification I", "Cause and Effect", "A Fistful of Datas")

The captain's jacket was designed by Robert Blackman to make Captain Picard stand out from the rest of his crew, at the suggestion of Patrick Stewart. In its first appearance, the uniform would feature leather-like shoulders; however, in all other appearances, the uniform seems to be made of cotton, with suede used for the burgundy division color.

Maternity uniform

A maternity uniform in 2370

This appears to be a looser-fitting uniform designed to better accommodate the growth of a female crew member while pregnant. (TNG: "All Good Things...")

Flag officer uniform

Type A

This uniform consisted of a double breasted jacket that could presumably be opened like the jacket on the previous style could, along with a featureless black belt, pants, and boots. The jacket opening was trimmed in gold, as were the black shoulders and large black cuffs. Gold trim also ran down the back in the same manner that black piping had ran down the back of the previous uniform style. Rank insignia was worn on the right shoulder just above the trim halfway between the jacket opening and the center of the collar, as well as on the cuffs. (VOY: "Coda")

The alien impersonating Vice Admiral Janeway in "Coda" wore this unique Admiral's uniform not seen before (or after), which presumably was available to Starfleet personnel before 2358. Janeway's daughter did not seem to find what her "father" was wearing as abnormal, even the 2370scombadge and the 2365 rank insignia paired with the uniform, but there was little normal with the situation.

This uniform style would seem to be an effort to show a transition between the "red jacket" style of uniforms seen in the TOS movies and the style of uniform used on TNG, since it combined features of both.

Type B

Available to Starfleet admirals and other higher-ranking flag officers as early as 2364, this uniform variant featured a design distinguishing it from the standard duty uniform.

Consisting of a short, burgundy and black tunic, with black trousers, this uniform featured gold braid at the yoke, shoulders and collar. It was also marked by a distinct wedge of black material extending from the right shoulder down to the left waist. (TNG: "Too Short a Season", "Coming of Age", "Conspiracy")

Type C

Flag officer uniform in 2365

As early as 2365, another admiral's service uniform was available. Consisting of a short tunic top, with gold braid and yoke piping, the uniform was worn with black trousers.

Type D

With the alteration of the standard duty uniform in the 2366, a new wave of uniforms for flag officers and admirals came into service.

This alteration featured a long service jacket and trousers. Similar to the standard duty jacket, the flag officer's uniform was marked by a V-shaped black cutout, trimmed in gold.

The rank insignia were enclosed pips worn on either side of the uniform collar, as well as displayed on both sleeves with four widely spaced, thin gold braid stripes ending at the cuff. (TNG: "The Defector", "Man of the People")

Type E

Flag officer uniform starting in 2369

In 2369, a new flag officer's uniform was introduced. Retaining the familiar long jacket and trousers, this newer version was simpler, abandoning the distinctive black wedge cutout from the previous design for a gold-trimmed closure running down the front of the uniform. The sleeves of the uniform were also modified, now bearing the rank insignia within a wide, black cuff.

First appearing sans combadge in the The Next Generationsixth season episode "Realm of Fear", this was the final variation of the admiral's uniform before the appearance of the First Contact-style uniform in "Favor the Bold"

While only command-division red admiral's uniforms appeared during the run of TNG, the Deep Space Nine episode "The Die is Cast" hinted at the existence of other division colors with the appearance of Vice AdmiralToddman in operations gold. Despite this, a sciences division admiral's uniform has not been seen.

Like the Starfleet dress uniform, the admiral's uniform was a costume that was often tinkered with by the production staff during the run of the The Next Generation.

Dress uniform

Type A

In the early 2360s, Starfleet personnel were issued a standard dress uniform that had a long wraparound tunic top worn with black leggings. An officer's standard rank insignia were not worn, instead a band of gold braid ran the entire length of the jacket closure. (TNG: "Lonely Among Us", "Coming of Age")

An Admiral's version of this uniform also existed, which was worn in the same style except for the gold braid which was much thicker. Q once wore this uniform upon his second encounter with the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. (TNG: "Hide and Q")

Q most likely was exaggerating the "flashiness" of his uniform, after he introduced himself as an Admiral, Picard gave the uniform a once over and said "You're no Starfleet Admiral, Q!"

Type B

Picard in his dress uniform in 2365

Introduced in 2365, this version of the dress uniform introduced rank insignia to the right shoulder and swapped the single gold braid for two narrower braids running parallel to each other (one gold, one silver), which together were the same thickness as the original. The gold braids also no longer extended below the black material that covered the shoulders from the yoke upwards. By 2366, the leggings had given way to a more standard black pants and boots. (TNG: "Manhunt", "Sarek")

Type C

Picard in his dress uniform in 2368

In 2367 the dress uniform was again modified, this time removing several inches of material at the bottom, bringing the bottom of the jacket to mid-thigh just below the hands. A small section of the gold trim that ran vertical from the end of the top opening to the yoke was also removed, leaving only the trim above the rank insignia that ran around the collar. (TNG: "Data's Day", "Qpid", "Cost of Living", "The Perfect Mate", "Chain of Command, Part I")

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, costume designer Robert Blackman expressed his feelings about the Starfleet dress uniform: "There was constant tinkering throughout the series. I would just keep doing different takes on the original design: shorten it, add pants..." Ultimately, the designer threw out the existing uniform style entirely and started anew for the dress uniforms first appearing in Star Trek: Insurrection.

Medical skant

A variant of the Type A standard duty uniform available to medical personnel. This uniform featured a tunic with a cut similar to that of the Scant style uniform, but apart from black shoulders, was completely medical-division blue. This tunic was worn untucked over separate black trousers, and standard duty boots. The initial design of this uniform featured two front pockets and a raised band in the midsection; these elements were later eliminated from the uniform. (TNG: "The Child", "Where Silence Has Lease")

Utility uniform

The mid-24th century uniform issue included a utility jumpsuit for technical personnel. The jumpsuit, in the three standard department colors, was worn over a black, long sleeve mock turtleneck, although some versions had a short black collar built in, and was worn with black boots. Another variation had division-color boots and black sleeves. Personnel wearing utility jumpsuits were sometimes issued combadges. (TNG: "The Naked Now", "Where No One Has Gone Before", "The Big Goodbye", "Datalore", "11001001", and more)

"Eye of the Beholder" was the last appearance of the utility uniform before Star Trek Nemesis. While previous TNG seasons had featured all three division colors, only the operations gold version seemed to make through season four. See below for a full list of episodes this uniform appeared in.

Covert Ops attire

In certain instances of covert operations or espionage, Starfleet officers were afforded specific attire to aid in the completion of their mission.

As early as 2369, some officers wore a black, tight-fitting jumpsuit uniform, not marked with an insignia or any kind of outwardly identifying marks. Distinguished by an optional hood and black boots, this uniform was sometimes worn with a backpack and technical gear for grappelling or other physically daunting tasks. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part I", "Frame of Mind")

Cadet uniform

During the late-2360s, Starfleet cadets at Starfleet Academy wore distinct duty uniforms consisting of a black two piece jumpsuit with division-colored shoulders.

Originally, the cadet uniform maintained the low collar of the original uniform design, trimmed in black, and had no rank insignia. Two years later, the cadet uniform featured a high collar, with rank (or student year) insignia being added shortly thereafter. Both versions of the cadet uniform bore several large pockets running down the trousers. (TNG: "Allegiance", "The Game", "The First Duty", "Journey's End")

The cadet uniform was first introduced in "Allegiance", but it was not until "The Game" two seasons later that the uniform was refined into the version seen throughout the duration of TNG.

The uniform seen in "Allegiance" is the only example of a cadet uniform of this type in a different division color then command red. This operations gold uniform was worn by the illusory Cadet Haro, and since CaptainPicard didn't seem to find anything wrong with Haro's uniform, its safe to conclude that there were different cadet uniforms based upon the division of study.

The cadet rank insignia, silver oval-shaped pips rather than the usual circular gold ones, were not seen in "The Game", but appeared in "The First Duty" and "Journey's End". The uniform was again sans the pips for "In the Flesh".

Provisional uniform

The provisional uniform was worn by crewmen such as acting ensigns. There have been two variations of this uniform; the first had a light grey turtleneck tunic with a dark grey shoulders and collar bordered with the colors of all three divisions and black pants. The second variation was a darker shade of overall grey with ribbed shoulders and turtleneck collar.

The first variation was worn with no combadge; the second worn with an entirely silver-colored combadge.

Terraforming uniform

Terraforming uniform

A utility uniform worn by terraforming scientists, consisting of a pale green jumpsuit with snap-up flap, a dark green belt, and dark boots. The uniform was worn by both men and women. (TNG: "Home Soil")

Starbase technician uniform

Technician uniform

This two-layered uniform, worn by both male and female starbase technicians in 2365, consisted of a gold, sleeveless jumpsuit worn over a navy blue shirt. (TNG: "The Icarus Factor")

Civilian uniform

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Other uniform features

Some officers wore alternate uniforms at times. Deanna Troi often wore casual clothing while on duty. Other officers, such as Worf, were allowed to wear accessories relating to their culture with their uniforms, but this was at the discretion of the captain. Bajoran officer EnsignRo Laren was allowed to retain her culture's traditional earring, despite the reservations of some of her fellow officers (TNG: "Ensign Ro", "Chain of Command, Part I"), and once wore a headband the same color as her division. (TNG: "The Next Phase") Benzite officer Mendon, participating in the Officer Exchange Program wore a uniform variant with a more built-up collar. It is unknown if this was in some way related to the breathing apparatus attached to his chest.

Patrick Stewart claimed that the change from this Starfleet uniform to the new version after the second season of TNG was thanks to his chiropractor, who recommended Stewart sue Paramount for "lasting damage done to [his] spine." Evidently, the producers wanted to have a smooth, unwrinkled look to the Starfleet uniforms, which put strain on Stewart's shoulders, neck and back after two seasons in a lycra costume that was one size too small. [1]

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